State Highways Department urged to give up its proposal to reduce number of non-engineering posts

Tamil Nadu Highways Skilled Assistants (Road Inspectors) Association has appealed to the State Government to give up its proposal to reduce the number of non-engineering posts in Highways Department.

A resolution to this effect was passed at its 5th State conference held in Virudhunagar on Sunday.

Revenue Minister K. K. S. S. R. Ramachandran, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol. Thirumavalavan, and DMK MLA A. R. R. Srinivasan addressed the conference chaired by the association’s State president J. Manikandan.

The resolution said that the Highways Department under its proposal for restructuring was planning to increase only the number of posts of engineers and reduce other posts. The State Government should give up this proposal and increase the strength of other posts from divisional clerk to watchman according to the present needs.

The posts of Skilled Assistant should be included in the list of permanent post. They should be given travel allowance like other Government employees.

The posts of Skilled Assistant Grade-I and Skilled Assistant Grade-II should be merged and be made Skilled Assistant Grade-I.

The 25% of vacant posts of Skilled Assistants-II in Highways Construction and Maintenance should be filled up by promoting road workers.

A total of 1,801 Skilled Assistants posts were sanctioned in 1987 when the State Government was maintaining 42,533 km of roads. With the Highways Department now maintaining 70,000 km of roads, it should increase the number of posts to reduce the workload on the existing staff.

Filling up of the posts of junior engineers, training for Skilled Assistants, were among the other resolutions passed on the occasion.

Published - September 22, 2024 08:45 pm IST